Protest Showdown Between Antifa And Patriot Prayer Results In Arrests

September 11, 2017

Patriot Prayer organizer Joey Gibson said the group only wanted to peacefully demonstrate for free speech, but antifa claimed the rally represented bigotry and fascism. Portland police documented the violence on Twitter, reporting that antifa protesters were loading sling shots and throwing tear gas grenades at officers, injuring at least two. Police did not specify whether those arrested in Portland were part of antifa or the Patriot Prayer rally, the Associated Press reported.

In anticipation of the counter protests, the majority of Patriot Prayer demonstrators moved to a public amphitheater in nearby Vancouver, Wash. Antifa protestors followed the activists, however, and police in Vancouver made two arrests during the resulting confrontation. The nine people arrested face varying charges from police, including attempted theft, assaulting a police officer, and interfering with a police officer.

Portland’s demonstration is only the most recent in a string of violent protests this summer, peaking at a July rally in Charlottesville, Va., where white supremacists and nazis clashed with antifa protesters.

Political violence has repeatedly reared its head in Portland this year as well. At a June 4 free speech rally in Portland, antifa attacked free speech marchers and launched projectiles that “included urine and feces filled balloons, balloons with unknown chemicals, marbles, bricks and rocks,” the city’s police chief explained in a letter to the mayor afterwards.

A left-wing rally on May 1 turned into a riot after anarchists started fires, damaged property and threw homemade explosives at police officers, resulting in 25 arrests.